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The Reception: Creative Activities for Non-Dancers

Traditionally receptions revolve around music and dancing, but what about those who don’t like to dance? There are many creative ways to entertain all kinds of guests. This post contains creative activities for any wedding reception.

Remember it is always important to consider who your guest are and what they would feel comfortable doing. Not all of the ideas provided will appeal to every type of reception. Go with your gut! If you think it would be fun then they probably will too; that’s why they love you!

Getting Them Involved

I Spy is a fun one that you can look back on after the reception is over. Place a card at each table with descriptions of events for your guests to take pictures of along with a URL to a site where they can upload. You can ask them to look for anything you can think of: the flower girl dancing, the oldest married couple, the best man embarrassing the groom, the bride talking with her new mother-in-law, or the maid of honor helping out. It is an inexpensive way of conserving your wedding day fun as well as getting the guests smiling!

You don’t have to break your budget trying to please your guests. Sometimes it’s the little things that will make them feel the most excited about your reception. Including them in your decorations is a simple way to go, but also very effective. Your family and friends can look at the pictures and tell each other stories, reminiscing about the fun times they have shared with you.

Message Booklets are a fun way to get advice from your friends and family. Simply decorate your own little notebook or buy one. Then write a question for all the members of that table to answer. Your guests can share their booklets with other tables for the opportunity to answer more if they choose. The questions can be really anything you’d like. Be creative and have fun with it!

What’s your most cherished memory with the groom?

How did you first meet the bride?

What is the best advice for a long and happy marriage?

What was your favorite part of the wedding ceremony?

Reinventing the game Guess Who to contain members of your wedding party or your reception guests (possibly two versions: bride’s side and groom’s side) is a creative way to personalize something most people already know how to do. For those you haven’t heard of Guess Who, it’s a game for two where each person draws a card containing a character. Then the two take turns asking each other questions like “Does your person have brown hair?” Eventually one of the players will figure out who their opponent drew; they are the winner. However, if the characters on the cards were their friends and family, they would be able to ask more entertaining questions!

Other Party Entertainment

Sweets are always a good idea when entertaining, so consider arranging a dessert table. Guests of the bride and groom may not be close, but they can bond over delicious treats! It may seem like something odd to consider as entertainment, but think about when you spend time with friends. Are there not snacks or a run to Sonic/Dairy Queen/a grocery store? Food is a great ice breaker and an easy thing to provide in bulk.

Photobooths are fun for being silly and having fun with those who love. You might think it would be too pricy to include at your reception, but maybe not. The idea of a photobooth is simple; all you have to do is recreate it. Pick a corner and hang some curtains, possibly that correspond to your wedding theme. Inside use a couple stools or any small seat you can get ahold of. Provide a camera with a timer feature, and your guests can have their own homemade photobooth experience!

If you feel like spending some money or you have an artistic friend or family member, hire an artist! They can set up an easel and sketch your guests. You could even have yourself drawn next to your groom/bride. This would be a fun keepsake for your guests to look back on.

Oversized Games are another fun activity for your reception. This can be anything you find fun: checkers, Jenga, bag toss, ring toss, you name it! Guests can bond while playing commonly known games with somewhat of a twist. Plus you can make them yourself which means they can be personalized to your wedding. Incorporating the colors of your wedding into these games becomes an easy way to decorate your reception area as well as entertaining friends and family.